


Opening Blooms

by Artiegamer13



Series: A Pooka's Love [3]
Category: Frozen (2013), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Aster can cook!, F/M, Family Fluff, M/M, Nervous Phil, Nightmares, Protective E. Aster Bunnymund, Teen Angst, Teen Years, This just got a whole lot weirder, sick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2014-06-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 11:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1742978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Artiegamer13/pseuds/Artiegamer13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This happens shortly after the epilogue of Fear and Faith. The kits are thirty years old chronologically, but fifteen years mentally and physically.<br/>Ivy is keeping a secret and Phil's budding affection for a very special spirit drives him to do some very odd things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Family Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil begins taking English lessons from Jack, and Ivy is becoming nervous.

      Ivy sat on his bed, sulking. He and his twin brother Oak shared a spacious room. While his brother had a small nest that included his enchanted blanket. Ivy, however, preferred his bed, in the shape of an oval, what had been made with his blanket and an array of fun-fur covered pillows. He also had a white and purple comforter, but he barely used it. The sheets and pillow cover for the one pillow that wasn't fuzzy, were also a pale purple. Ivy's toy bunny rested by the head of the bed. His side of the room was dominated with different posters for musicals, his favorites included _Shrek, Sweeny_ _Todd, Wicked,_ and _Peter Pan._ There were other posters hung here and there, but they weren't hanging in a place of honor above his bed. Oak's was dominated by a large easel and multiple pieces of art both from him, and great artists from around the world. Thankfully, Oak was currently taking an art lesson from their Da, so Ivy was alone with his thoughts.

     He had tried talking to his Dam, but different words and excuses kept leaving his lips instead of what he wanted to say. It was getting to be that Ivy kept losing control of his powers, sending a few of the trees in the warren's eternal spring into an autumn hibernation. Dam and Da had warned them when their powers first came in that they would most likely be linked to their emotions, as Dam's are. When Ivy had first realized his problem, he became so edgy that immediately a large maple tree's leaves became red, and most of them fell on the spot, spiraling around the young pooka. Da had been mad, he had tried to find out what was bothering Ivy so much as to cause the tree's change. When Ivy said that he didn't want to talk about it, Da simply barred him from the entertainment system, and reassured him that the warren would put the tree to rights. Weeks later, Ivy still sulked as his door was flung open.

      "Hello dear shorty!" Rosebud announced. Her fur was rose pink, with black tips to her ears and tail. Her eyes a bright green color. Rosebud had taken to healing, and wearing a white, silk, shawl that hung loosely from her shoulders. She was also far to right about him being short. He and Oak were identical twins, and had ended up being runts. They only stood at five-foot-three, and were about as slim as their Dam. Rosebud's smile faltered when she was her brother's face. "You choked again, didn't you?" She said, shaking her head. One curt nod and two minutes later, three of his siblings were huddled on his bed. Oak was still busy at his egg painting lesson.

      A.J., who was draped over the foot of Ivy's bed, looked like their Da, if he had grayish tips to his ears and a grey nose. Also, he was only five-foot-eleven. Seeing as their Da was well over six feet. Snowdrop, with her white fur, and pale blue frost patterns clashed against brown fur and peach spots of Ivy as they sat side by side at the head of the bed. Ever since she had turned twenty-two, Snowdrop had taken to dyeing the tuft of hair that hung over her right eye a dark purple. A.J. wore bracers and a belt that resembled their Da's bandolier. Snowdrop and Ivy both wore theatre style, blouse like shirts, though Ivy's was a pale green, while Snowdrop's was as white as her fur. Rosebud sat on the floor with her head and arms resting on the bed.

      "You do know that they wont be mad, right?" Snowflake asked in her concerned voice. Ivy shrugged. Suddenly A.J. sat up.

      "Dude, they aren't gonna throw you out of anything." He said.

      "I know, but I'm still nervous. Is that a crime?" Ivy said, doubt lacing his voice.

      "No, it's not. Although, considering who our parents are, I don't think they'd mind." Rosebud pointed out. Even Ivy found himself nodding in agreement.

      "Alright, just," Ivy's voice hitched, "Give me a while. I'll tell them."  His siblings nodded. A.J. went to work on his katas, while Rosebud summoned a rabbit hole to take her and Ivy to the winter palace. It was already time for her healing lessons and his singing lessons. Maybe aunt Elsa could give him some lessons in courage as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Aster and Oak had just finished with the lesson, and Oak was bounding off to show off his new skills to one of his siblings. Aster sat, thoughts trailing to Oak's twin. He and Jack had noticed that lately, Ivy had been seriously distressed about something. Every now and then they would find new evidence of it. Random berry bushes and trees bearing fruit early, even more trees like the maple incident. He knew very well that all five of their powers worked far better when their emotions were under control, just like Jack's. The latest book in that weird cat series that Snowdrop liked so much had recently come out, Aster thought that it was time for a touch of blackmail. When he had returned from getting the book, he was surprised to find that Snowdrop had decided to spend the night at Tooth's to visit Baby Tooth.

      Aster sighed in defeat and left the book on Snowdrop's vanity. He came back out into the main sitting room, to find his mate smiling at him.

      "Alright, so it din' work. Ah don know what tah do Snowflake. He jus seem so down." Aster gushed as he hugged Jack close.

      "He's a teenager, one of _five_! There's gonna be some angst, but yes, something is definitely bothering him. The question is, what?" Jack said. Aster began on dinner as Phil arrived for his English lessons. The yeti was making great progress, but once again, Aster found himself asking why Phil wanted to learn a new language.

      "I want talk with him." Phil had given a stuttering, and lisp filled response. Well, it was better than his first explanation just a few weeks ago. "Want talk!" he had grunted in reply. Aster wasn't sure who _he_ was, but it was obvious that Jack did, and wasn't going to tell. Aster had prepared a large spaghetti squash with a light fruit salad for dessert. Phil decided to stay for dinner, and the large group had a grand time. Although, Ivy had remained silent until he was finished and asked to be excused. Aster had told him that it would be fine. The young pooka retreated to his room. Phil left shortly after, and the other kits left for their rooms.

      "Hey, Cottontail, cheer up!" Jack quipped. "He'll tell us when he's ready. I know you're worried, but you can't force him. I've got to get to bed, Snowdrop has frost lessons tomorrow." Jack squeezed the pooka's shoulder lightly and walked to their nest room. After the dishes were cleared and the left overs put away, Aster entered the nest room, dimly lit by the glowing flowers lining the walls. He flopped down next to his mate, and soon found a fitful sleep.

 


	2. An Agreement Between a Queen and Pooka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivy is becoming more and more worried, and his siblings do something about it.

      Why did it have to be so hard, Ivy still couldn't bring up enough courage to say what needed to be said. Oak kept bugging him about it, every chance he got. They shared a special trait that Dam and uncle Jokul. They could feel what the other does, and at every point he could find, Oak reminded Ivy that he would feel much better afterwards. Ivy knew this very well, but it didn't help with his paranoia. So, determined to get this weight off his chest, He called a meeting of his siblings. They all gathered on his bed, staring at him intently. Ivy took a deep breath, swallowed, and spoke.

      "I can't tell them," Oak was about to say something, but Ivy continued, "I want to, but I can't. That's where you guys come in. Please, I really need your help." Snowdrop crawled over to hug her smaller brother, and Oak patted his shoulder. A.J. appeared to be in deep thought...again. Rosebud was the first to actually say anything.

      "Of course we'll help you Ivy, you're our brother." She beamed at him.

      "Yeah, don't worry man, and trust me when I say, if we're cool with it," A.J. gestured around the bed, "They'll be cool with it."

      "I still don't understand why you're so worried, we are talking about Da and Dam here." Oak said, waving his hands in the direction of the door. 

      "I know, but I just, I have my reasons." Ivy protested. Oak didn't press, and they began discussing how they would go about telling their parents. Amongst themselves, they decided that they would call a family meeting, and tell them the news. The five young pooka rose from the bed and exited the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Aster had no clue what was going on, and was pretty sure Jack knew more than he was letting on. He and his mate were seated outside, faceing their five children. The seven of them formed a rough circle, and the kits seemed to be arguing on who should speak first. That's when Aster stepped in.

      "Right, if you sprongs got somthin' ta tell, then go ahead an get it ya chests." Aster briefly glanced at Ivy, who wasn't looking at anyone else.  Oak spoke first.

      "Da, Dam, there is something that Ivy has been wanting to tell you guys." Oak said quickly.

      "Something that's been scaring him," Rose bud continued, "and no it's not anything to do with the boogieman." Rosebud quickly amended when Aster's eyes flashed with dark anger. Once Aster heard it was Pitch free, his anger melted into worry.

       "We have told him that you guys won't get mad, but he's still freaking out. So he asked us to tell you for him." A.J. chuckled lightly as he spoke.

       "Da, Dam, Ivy is gay." Snowdrop said, as Ivy winced slightly. Aster stared with a single raised eyebrow. Jack just smiled.

       "Tha's it?" Aster deadpanned. Ivy looked at him quickly. "Kit, yer Dam may be a womb o' wintah, but he's still a bloke. yer siblings were right, why would we be mad at all?" Aster was a tad hurt that his son thought they'd mad at him for something that _they_ were!. Aster pulled his son over to him, and gave Ivy a gentle hug.

      "Besides bud, I kinda already knew." Jack quipped as he rubbed the hair between the young pooka's ears down. Ivy looked at him totally shocked. "Oh come on," Jack smiled, "Just because your Da's totally dense,"

      "Oi!"

      "doesn't mean you Dam is. I knew ever since you insisted on seeing _legally Blonde the musical_ for the third time." Jack laughed at the shy smile on his son's face. "Ivy, we'd never be angry at you for something like that, I mean, I may be a womb, but I'm very much a guy, and so is your Da." 

      "Told ya." A.J. said as Oak gently nudged his twin. Ivy laughed a bit, then turned to hug his parents. Aster was so happy that this was finally behind them, though he did feel a little foolish for not guessing as Jack had. About an hour later, Phil was back, and eager to learn more English. Sadly, he was called away for an emergency at the pole before he could get anything done, So Aster decided just to start on dinner. They had a chilled carrots soup with a side of asparagus and raw potato slices.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      For the first time in weeks, Ivy finally had a peaceful sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Phil had just help North avoid another disaster, and was headed to the wood carving section of the workshop, when he saw him. Phil learned from Coal, a grey and black yeti, that he was visiting North to place an order for a gift. Coal didn't know who the gift was for, but apparently, he was going to try and pull out all the stops. Whoever it was for, Phil could tell they were important to him. Phil smiled with intent. He would make his project the best gift that the other will ever get. When Phil reached his station, he took out the carving. So far it only looked like the outline of a dog, with an extra thick tail. It would soon be finished, and his English was getting better with each passing day. The yeti smiled to himself, barely able to wait.


	3. The Sniffles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything's going great! Until Jack starts sneezing...and coughing.

      Aster wasn't able to get sick from any human diseases. Thank goodness for being a pooka and a spirit combined. It's very hard for a pooka to get sick, and being a spirit improved his metabolism so much, that he was not longer susceptible to any of Earth's diseases. He was thanking his lucky stars when Sophie's little girl Sarah, who was currently plagued with the swine flu, sneezed on him. He thought nothing of it, and headed back to the burrow, giving the girl a caramel and rose filled chocolate that seemed to be really popular with the sprongs on Easter. When he got back to the burrow, all the kits were currently doing a range of activities. Ivy, now far more social, was chatting up a storm with someone over Skype. Aster had a suspicion that it was Cupcake's daughter, Niema. A.J. was busy with his training dummy just inside of the gate surrounding the burrow's hillside entrance. Rosebud was reading fan fiction about these two male rabbits, on something called Watership down. Beside her, Snowdrop was pouring over that cat book. Oak was reclining on the couch, water coloring, while Jack was watching an episode of _Doctor Who_.

      "Hullo Snowflake." Aster smiled as he gave Jack a quick kiss, and headed to start dinner. He wasn't expecting Ivy to pop in and ask to learn how to cook. Aster obliged, and they began working on a fall salad, as October was just around the corner, and a pumpkin pie. All five of the kit's could not get enough of pumpkin. Aster had to guide his son's hand at first so he wouldn't chop the spinach quite so small. After dinner, Snowdrop tackle hugged him, thanking her Da for the book. She had obviously just finished it. Aster trained with A.J. for a little while, before heading inside to hang out with his artist son. He ended up giving him a few pointers before handing the sketchbook back to Oak. He was grateful, and began adding new detail immediately. Aster then ended up roped into a very long winded explanation of the fan fiction that Rosebud had been reading, receiving a small pinch when he began to doze of. When she finished, Aster huffed, very tired by this point, and headed to the nest. Today had been a great day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Pooka can't get sick, Aster knew this, he just forgot that his mate and kit's weren't exactly pooka. Jack woke up with a bit of a cough, and twenty minutes later, it was a full blown hack. Aster found himself leading Jack to the recliner in the main sitting room, and draping his favorite, light green blanket over him. Aster slapped himself mentally for forgetting that Jack was able to catch the swine flu. He then face pawed when he heard a loud cough behind him. The pooka turned, eye twitching, as he saw Ivy standing there, wrapped in his café brown blanket, and sniffing hard.

     "Borbing Da, how'd you sleeb?" He asked wearily. Aster hopped into action, lifting the five-foot-three pooka and depositing him on the couch. Ivy went into a short fit of coughs before settling on the couch.

      "Oh no, Iby, you're sick to?" Jack asked as he began to settle into the recliner. Aster ran to Ivy and Oak's room to grab a pair of fuzzy pillows, but ended up grabbing three and an exact copy of the pooka curled on the couch, but wrapped up in crimson. Aster gently laid Oak on the opposite end of the couch, and set the pillows behind the three sick spirits. Obviously, the hybrid pookas had inherited their Dam's metabolism. Aster decided that some tea would do them good, but Snowdrop was already there. She looked just as awful as the others, and aster guided her towards the sitting room. She propped herself near Jacks chair, and Aster ran off and returned with her blue blanket, and a cool black pillow. Aster dreaded what he had to do. He headed to check on his remaining two children, and his fears were confirmed, He ended up carrying two rather tall, though still far shorter than him, pooka, along with their blankets, a round pillow for Rosebud, and a bucket. He got there just in time to, as the bucket was grabbed by oak, and he spewed inside of it.

      "Oh, ban, that's just gross" A.J. complained as he propped himself up against the front of the couch. Rosebud decided to just lay in the middle of the floor. She and Snowflake had already fallen back asleep. _Oh strweth,_ Aster thought, _they've all got swine flu._

      "Da, I'be got a headache." Ivy quipped.

      "Be too, cotton tail." Jack said. As he did, Oak raised his hand as he sat down the bucket, indicating he had one too. Aster quickly pulled a cloth out of his bandolier and whipped his son's face of filth before dashing into the kitchen. He quickly fixed a large pot of mint medley tea, and as he heard Oak retching again, grabbed a large pack of wet wipes. He returned with several cups of tea, and gave them to everyone who was still awake. He also sat the pack of wet wipes next to oak and his bucket, quickly wiping his son's face again. Aster then realized another problem, This room was filled with five sick teens and a sick trickster. He immediately ran to each of their rooms, Grabbing the laptops that each one of the six owned, a sketchbook for Oak, and Ivy's copy of _Sweeney Todd_ and a pair of large headphones. He ran back, distributing the objects, and handing the remote and Wii controller to Jack.

      "Thanks Da." Oak muttered.

      "Wait, why are you bot sick?" Ivy asked sleepily.

      "Oh, ah don' get sick, Earth diseases don work on me." Aster said proudly.

      "I hate you so buch right bow." Ivy replied as he turned over and promptly fell asleep. A.J. was desperately gulping down his tea as Snowdrop began to struggle in her sleep. It was very obvious that he was going to need some help. He ran to his globe room in the basement of the burrow. The globe was made of brass that had oxidized to green through the years. Green and blue lights littered the large structure, green representing him, blue representing jack. Aster pushed down a lever made of a greenish crystal, to release the aurora australis , heavily green with red accents. The guardians appeared in no time at all.

      "Vat is issue bunny?" North asked where they were being kept out of the burrow.

      "they've all got th' swine flu. Ah need som help wit takin' care of em." Aster explained. North nodded quickly before stepping through a portal to collect Phil and medical supplies. Tooth rushed inside to prepare them a special herbal tea, and Baby Tooth placed a cool towel on both Jack and Snowdrop's foreheads. Them being winter spirits, they needed to be cooled off. Sandy floated over to Snowflake, Rosebud, and Ivy, who were all sleeping fitfully from sickness induced nightmares. The dream sprite spread dream sand over the tree and they stopped fidgeting. Nightlight was working on a simple remedy that would stop Oak's constant vomiting. Katherine gently tucked the three sleeping teens in, and began singing a quiet lullaby.

      "Aster, i'b a little hungry." Jack said. The pooka dashed into the kitchen and began preparing a warm celery soup. Making plenty of it for when the others became hungry. He braught ut a bowl of the warm broth, and earned a "Soup, thank BiB!" Aster laughed at his mate's exclamation. As Jack began to sip the soup, Nightlight fed Oak and A.J. his remedy, and handed some to Jack. Jack munched on it, made an absolutely hilarious face, and quickly ate a few more bites of soup.

      "The other's will have to eat some once they wake up." Katherine said. North and Phil quietly entered the burrow, carrying some very medical looking supplies. After running a few tests, North walked over to Aster, and flicked his ear.

      "Oi! Wha' was that for?" Aster asked.

      "Is only virus!, with help from us, should be gone by morning. You worry to much Bunny!" The Cossack laughed. The day was long, and filled with the guardians and Phil running around to help the healing process along. When night fell, North and Phil helped Aster get into their own beds, and dropped the blankets. pillows, and pillow cases to be washed by the sentinels. Afterwards, the others left quickly, Phil practically running through the portal, as Aster flopped exhausted into bed. MiM he'd had a long day! Aster didn't even have time to register the nest below him, before falling asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      He wasn't there today, Phil was sad to discover, as he wanted to check on his brother. Phil made his way to his work station. The carving was taking shape, The three tails had been carved out perfectly, and the dainty paws of the animal were coming along nicely. Phil just hoped he would like it. Phil was so busy, that it wasn't until after he had decided to call it a night that he noticed the wrapped box sitting on the edge of his work station. He unwrapped it to find a wooden case, Phil printed in stylized, golden letters on the top. He opened it to find a brand new set of carving tools, that seemed to be totally state of the art. The set even came with a set of paint brushes specifically for carving. Phil smiled at the gift, not really knowing who they were from. He planned to use them for the rest of his carving project. He headed off to his room with a wide grin on his face.


	4. Phil's Affections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the moment you've all been waiting for, who does Phil like?

      Phil was busy at his desk, The carving was complete and looked wonderful. The three tailed creature stood atop a small pedestal. Phil had carved the name of the one it was for into the side of the pedestal, and got to work with the paint. White with black tips and details. Icy blue for the detailed eyes and pedestal. The yeti used a thin, blue, watercolor to give the carved fur shading and even more detail. He worked with steady hands, the entire time running through the many English phrases he had learned. When he spoke English, he had the same deep tone as when he spoke yetish, but the English seemed to just roll of the tongue. Once it was finished, he dashed to North's office.

      "Where is he?" He asked slowly. North was obviously surprised by him speaking English, but soon snapped out of it.

      "Who?" The Cossack asked cautiously. When Phil held up the carving, a knowing smile spread across Santa's face. "Well, I do not be knowing this, but maybe one of friend yeti do?" Phil nodded to himself, and dashed back out of the office, leaving a chuckling North. He soon came across Coal, and quickly asked where he may find the one the gift was for. Coal took pity on his poor friend, and told him to check with Jack. Phil nodded curtly, pulled out a snow globe, and vanished into a portal.  Once in the warren, he was calling for Jack frantically. The yeti was soon met with a cool breeze.

      "Hi Phil," The winter spirit yawned, "sorry, I'm still a little beat from the other day." Jack stretched his arms wide, almost dropping his staff in the process.

      "Need to find him." Phil said as he held up the intricate animal carving. Jack smiled.

      "So you finally finished it?" He said in an impressed tone, "Alright, he'll probably be at the Ice Palace. Good luck big guy." Phil smiled and nodded gratefully as he threw down another portal. When he got there, he was greeted by Anna and Jokul.

      "Hi Phil, what brings you here?" Anna asked.

      "Gift for him." Phil replied as he held up the carving.

      "Oh, that makes sense!" Jokul said, delighted. "Follow us." The two ran off, Phil close behind. They got to a garden, filled with white blooms and trees of crystal. There he was, kneeling in front of some strange blue and white roses. Oh MiM he was beautiful. He silently walked up to the spirit and tapped his small shoulder.

      "Um, excuse me?" Phil struggled a bit on the sentence, but was met with a pair of shining, yellow, eyes.

      "Phil? was that English?" He asked, Phil nodded bashfully. He was much taller than the spirit before him, but he was still nervous.

      "Here, for you." Phil held out the carving. The spirit's paws traced along the tree tails that so closely resembled his, the identical markings of his fur, and the name written on the pedestal. He ran his fingers over them. Z...I...T...H. The fox spirit looked up with a wide smile on his face. His own three tails wagging slightly.

      "T-thank you!" Zith said. "Did you get the carving supplies?" Phil nodded, now a grin was spreading across his face. The present Zith had been working on had been the carving supplies, they had been for him. Phil's heart began beating faster as Zith hugged him around the waist. His thin arms just reaching around the yeti's large frame. Phil gently placed his arms around the kitsune, finally.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      "Wait, so Phil's got a thing fer Zith, an Zith's got it just as bad?" Aster asked slowly. Jack nodded, cheeky smile on his face.

      "Dam's right Da, you are oblivious." Ivy quipped.

      "Oi! Ah'm not that bad." Aster protested grumpily. This earned him a chorus of laughter from his five amused kits and Jack.

      "Da, even I guessed!" A.J. said loudly. Aster's ears dropped, _Seriously?_ A.J., master of forgetfulness, had guessed, and he hadn't?! Aster seriously began questioning his observational skills at this point.

      "Don't worry Cottontail, I'm sure you'll get it eventually." Jack said, as he and the kits, except for Oak who was working on a new googie, Walked back to the burrow from the willow they had been sitting under.

      "Did you guess?" Aster asked his son. Oak smiled, and nodded with a smug look on his face, before returning to the autumn scene he was painting onto the surface of the egg. Aster sighed, defeated, and returned to his work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having a bit of writer's block, so sorry for the short chapter.  
> 


End file.
